What if? The Unwound Future
by xCastielsGirlx
Summary: A series of What if? drabbles that have needed to get out of my head before it exploded. Chapter 4: What if Layton saved Clive's parents? Spoilers for Professor Layton 3. Might be some Luke/Layton or Layton/Clive in later chapters. Luke-centric
1. What if Luke went to go save Clive?

**A 'what if' fic I thought of. Enjoy.**

**What if: The unwound future**

**What if Luke went instead of Claire (Celeste)?**

The Professor thought it would be dangerous for Luke. The young man thought he could do it though and who would Luke think he was if he didn't trust him? Luke jumped from the flying Layton mobile. He stumbled a little before straightening himself up.

"Be careful!" He yelled as he landed the flying contraption. Flora hopped out along with Celeste and the Prime Minister.

"Everyone from the underground city has been evacuated!" Chelmey ran up to Layton. Layton nodded and sped off to see if he could get Luke.

**Meanwhile…**

Luke shimmied around the edge of the tottering robot and hopped in through the window. There he saw the unconscious form of Clive. Luke ran up to him as the robot started to crumble. He shook the man's shoulders.

"CLIVE! C'mon! We've gotta get outta here!" He yelled. Clive stirred and looked up at Luke.

"Luke? What are you doing here? The robot is about to collapse!" He asked confused. Luke smiled and flinched as a bit of equipment fell beside him.

"One must always help another in need. That's what a gentleman does." He stated. Clive smiled and was helped up by Luke. The two ambled their way to the open window and climbed out. Clive was heavy and Luke was using all his strength to keep him upright. The machine jolted just as the Professor landed near them Luke let go of Clive who grabbed onto the Layton Mobile. Luke was less fortunate. He stumbled to the side and fell over. He slid down the robot to the edge and was dangling above London. Layton gasped.

"LUKE! HOLD ON!" He yelled as he flew around to him. Luke's grip was slipping and tears were streaming down his face. It wasn't meant to end like this! Luke was meant to go on to do great things. Become a vet, get married, have children. His life flashed before his eyes and he lost the strength to keep holding on. He took in a sharp breath as he fell.

"NOOO!" Layton yelled as he took a swan dive in the car after strapping Clive, who was no unconscious, into the seatbelt. He sped towards the falling form. He had to catch him, if he didn't, he didn't want to even think about it. He was almost level with him now. He let go of the steering wheel and grabbed both of Luke's hands. He pulled him into the car as he levelled out. He cradled Luke to his chest as the boy lay sobbing. He stroked his hair. It was a miracle that the boy had survived and kept his hat. He put him in the backseat and belted him in.

When Layton landed, Luke and Clive were still both unconscious. Bill ran up to the car and grabbed the sleeping Clive.

"Officers, apprehend this man!" He barked. Clive came around and was thoroughly confused. Luke came around about the same time as him. He saw Clive being hauled violently out of the car.

"HEY!" He yelled. He jumped out of the car and ran up to the officers who had him by each arm.

"Luke!" Layton called out. Luke ignored him and kept on running to catch up with him.

"CLIVE!" He yelled. The officers stopped and turned around.

"Stay out of this, kid! It's none of your business!" Snarled an officer.

"I just saved his life, I think it's my business!" retorted Luke. The officer raised an eyebrow.

"You shouldn't have done that! He was better off dead!" He spat. In a flash, the officer had let go of Clive and stumbled back pinching his nose and Luke was being restrained by two officers. He wriggled free and clung to Clive's waist.

"I don't want you to go to prison Clive!" He sobbed and squeezed tighter. The Officers and Prime Minister looked on with shock.

"Criminals like them make me sick!" He spat. Luke rounded on him.

"Says YOU! YOU went ahead with an experiment so you could get rich! YOU killed all those people for your greed that was illegal! YOU murdered Clive's parents and Claire! YOU'RE A MONSTER!" Luke screamed. Bill went pale.

"How do you know this?" He hissed in a bit of a panic.

"Dimitri was an assistant in the lab at the time. He told us all about it." Luke snarled back. Dimitri confirmed it. The next second Bill was in a pair of handcuffs as well as Luke and Clive.

"Bill Hawke, we are arresting you on suspicion of making illegal deals and killing 10 people during an experiment you knew would go wrong…" The officer told him his rights before putting him into a wagon.

"Luke Triton, you are being put into custody for assault on a police officer…" The same officer repeated his rights and loaded him into the wagon with Clive. Layton watched the scene in shock horror. He followed behind as they arrived at the station to see what was going on. He arrived to see Luke sobbing on a plastic chair.

"They're going to give the death penalty to Clive!" He choked through sobs. Layton put an arm around him and shushed him. Luke jumped up as Clive came around the corner.

"Clive!" He called and ran up to hug him.

"There, there Luke," he comforted. Luke had fresh tears coming down his face.

"Can't you just plead insanity? Please Clive, I don't want you to die! You've been like a brother to me!" He sniffed. Clive kissed Luke's forehead and whispered into Luke's ear.

"That just might work; brother." He pulled away smiling. Luke gave him a watery smile.

"We just need to find a good lawyer…" Layton joined in. Luke smiled and he and Clive hugged the Professor.

"It looks like you'll have to put off moving for a while Luke. You'll be needed as a witness," Layton explained. Luke nodded. He was gunna make sure that Clive didn't get into much trouble.

…PORFESSOR LAYTON…

The day of the trial soon came. Clive straightened his usual tie. He had been living with the Professor since the day of the accident in the spare bedroom. He smiled and looked down at Luke. He ruffled the young boy's hair. Luke blushed and slipped on his cap at the same time as Clive. The two went outside to see Professor Layton standing by the car.

"Are we going by air today?" Clive joked. The Professor smiled.

"Afraid not Clive." He replied. The two got into the car and drove to the court. They walked through the doors to come face to face with the now ex-Prime Minister. Clive took a deep breath and entered through the double doors, hoping he might have a chance with freedom.

…PROFESSOR LAYTON…

The trial went on for three hours. Luke had given his statement. It made the jury and the judge cry. The verdict was… Not guilty due to insanity. Luke, Clive and Layton cheered. Luke hugged Clive and the three walked out of the doors. It wasn't all guns and roses though; Clive had to do 1000 hours unpaid work and 300 hours of community service which Luke vowed to help him with. Luke's parents had decided that due to Luke's love of London that they would stay. Nothing could've been better. Oh, apart from the fact that the Professor was reminded of a puzzle by every little thing but hey, what can a person do?


	2. What if Luke got injured at the Casino?

**What if? What if Luke had been injured in the Casino?**

The thugs fired the guns around. The Professor and Luke were hidden behind a slot machine.

"We're surrounded Professor!" He yelled with a tint of fear in his voice.

"Calm yourself Luke, I have a plan!" The Professor told him and ran out of the cover.

"But wait! Where are you going?" He called out after him. He made to move but was stopped when a round almost hit his head. He cowered below his hat and shook. He couldn't let the Professor go out there alone. He took in a breath and stood up. He could see the Professor and his future self talking ahead. He wanted to help. He peered around the corner and saw a few members of The Family. He ran out to give the Professor the time he needed to make his escape.

"OI! Over here!" He yelled waving his arms. The thugs turned around and cocked their weapons.

"Luke! What on earth are you doing?" The Professor yelled at him. Luke took no notice as he kept distracting the men with guns. He dodged out of the way of oncoming bullets. He crouched behind a roulette table and it exploded into splinters above his head. He made sure that he could still see the Professor from his view. He put his thumbs up to signal he was okay. The Professor looked beside himself with worry.

"Trust me!" He said. Although the Professor couldn't hear him he could read his lips. He swallowed and nodded. Luke smiled and nodded back. He rolled out from his hiding place whilst Future Luke and the Professor got to work on their Slot Machine Gun.

The Family were getting restless with the boy and turned their attention to the men building the contraption. Luke noticed this. He watched as one of them cocked their weapon again and aimed for the Professor's head.

"PROFESSOR, watch out!" Luke shouted. Layton looked up in time and saw Luke shove the thug to the side so that the round hit the slot machine above him. Future Luke and Layton had just finished the weapon when Layton saw the worst thing ever. Luke was being pinned up by the throat and a knife pressed to his stomach. The distraction from the boy being tortured was enough for Future Luke to pour coins into the gun. Layton fired the gun up and started to shoot at the man who had Luke. He jumped in surprise resulting in the knife sliding into Luke like a knife with butter. Luke's eyes went wide. The men started to retreat.

After they had gone they needed to get out of the casino. Layton scooped Luke up in his arms and ran with him and Future Luke back to the hotel. He laid the small quivering boy on the sheets. Future Luke was looking worried.

"Professor, we need to get him to the hospital!" he enquired. Layton looked up. He was pale but the boy was paler. He nodded solemnly and carried the semi-unconscious to the train station and to the hospital, hoping and praying to God that he would be okay…

'

'

'

Luke awoke to sunlight streaming across his face. He turned to his side thinking that he was back in the Professors flat in his room and that the whole future thing had been a crazy dream. He opened his eyes and everything was blurry. His stomach was in immense pain. He groaned and tried to sit up. He felt a reassuring had on his shoulders forcing him back onto the bed.

"Professor, I had the strangest dream…" Luke recalled his voice quiet.

"Oh really? What was that then?" He asked with a smile relieved that Luke had finally come around. He resisted every urge to pull the boy into his arms and give him a hug. Luke's eyes were closed. He snuggled into the pillow.

"I dreamt we went into future London and I met my future self." He said. Layton sighed, hating to burst the young boys bubble.

"We are in future London Luke." Luke's eyes snapped open and he gasped.

"Then what happened at the Casino was real?" He asked. A pain in his stomach confirmed that. He cringed at the pain and bent over. Layton was over to side in a flash.

"Now Luke, you need to take it easy!" Layton reassured. Luke nodded, his face scrunching up and paling as another wave of pain hit him. He groaned. Layton did something he hadn't done since Luke was a toddler. He rubbed his stomach. Luke leaned into the touch and closed his eyes. The Professor embraced him as he cringed and felt the boy shaking.

"Shh," he whispered. Luke grabbed onto the Professor's coat and bunched the material in his fists. Layton realised that the boy was crying.

"I'm sorry for doing that Professor, I just wanted to help you," he explained, his breathing ragged. Layton comforted him a bit more.

"It's okay Luke, I forgive you." He whispered. Luke sighed against the Professors chest and opened his eyes to look into the Professor's. He smiled.

"Thank-you."


	3. What if Clive hadn't been saved?

**A/N: Yeah it's came to my attention that my fics have been Luke-centric. That's because he is my favourite character. Sorry if it seems obsessive but you'll be surprised to know that this is a Clive fic. The fics will mainly consist of Clive, Luke, Layton and Flora. Mainly Luke or Layton though. Anyway enough with that and onto the fic!**

**What if Clive hadn't been saved?**

He lay there. His head was pounding as the piece of equipment hit him. He looked out of the window to see the Professor flying away to safety. He couldn't blame him; it was too dangerous to go back.

Clive felt the robot shudder as it fell into the whole.

A buzzing filled his ears.

This was the end.

A flash of light, it was over.


	4. What if Layton had saved Clive's Parents

**Yay! Another Chapter! Yes, this is going to be Layton one because you're most probably going to shoot yourself if it's another Luke one. I know my previous one was short but hey, don't sue me; I'm only feeding my addiction for writing!**

**What if Layton hadn't stopped Clive from entering the building?**

Layton watched as the little blue clad ten year old ran into the flaming burning. He ran in after him. He was pushed back by firemen.

"You've got to let me in! A little boy just ran in there!" He yelled. The firemen ignored him. Layton pushed through and ran into where he had seen the boy disappear.

Everything was ablaze. He could hear a young child's sobs.

"Mama! Papa!" He yelled. Layton found the ten year old crying and trying to wake his unconscious parents. The tears rolling down his cheeks made clean tracks. Layton dived onto the boy and knocked him out of the way of a crumbling beam. Layton coughed and reached into his breast pocket for a clean hankie. He gave it to the young boy.

"Don't breathe in the smoke!" Layton instructed. The blue clad boy held the hankie over his mouth and nose as Layton lifted Clive's parents up. The Professor carried them out with the boy clinging to his side.

When Layton exited the building it collapsed. The paramedics swooped in on them instantly. Clive held tighter onto the Professor. The Professor handed over the unconscious adults and hugged the small quivering boy.

"They'll be okay, I promise." Layton whispered as the boy watched the paramedics working on his parents.

"We've got pulses!" One of them yelled. The rest of the paramedics surrounded the two adults and fed them oxygen.

Layton awoke in a cold sweat. A dream. Luke stood at the end of the bed rubbing his tired eyes and clutching his teddy bear. The resemblance between the two was striking and Layton could see how he had managed to pull off being a future him. Luke's future was one without the Professor though. That was what was on Luke's mind though.

"I've wrote a letter to Dad. I told him I don't want to go. He said if it's okay with you then I can stay." He looked nervous. Layton was too tired to understand what that meant. He stayed silent. Luke took that as no. He looked downcast.

"I'll tell him you said no," he sat on the floor. Layton looked at his watch. 10:30 a.m. He had slept that long. He looked at the tearful boy at the end and was reminded of his dream. He got out of bed and picked Luke up. Though he was nearly a teen, he didn't mind and just hugged the man.

"You belong with your parents. We all do."


End file.
